Electric railway-signal.



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I aH'mnu P PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903. H. A. AMMANN & A. D. CAMPBELL.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

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UNITED STATES Patented August 18, 1903.-

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ARNOLD AMMANN AND ALBERT DONALD Q AMPBELL, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRIC RAIIIWAY-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 736,845, dated August18, 1903. Application filed November 19, 1902. Serial No. 131,935. (Nomodel.)

i To all whom, it may concernf Be it known that we, HENRY ARNOLD AM-'MANN and ALBERT DONALD CAMPBELL, citizens of the United States,residingat Spokane,

use the same.

This invention relates to signaling appliances, and has for its objectthe production of a simply-constructed and efficientelectric signalingmechanism adapted for employment more especially in connection withelectric railways to signal the approach and location of the cars ortrains at points adjacent to the line of road or at distant points, thesignaling being accomplished preferably through the engagement by thetrolley of the means by which the signaling-circuit is closed.

The details of the invention will be readily comprehended,referencebeing had to the following description and to the accompanying drawings,illustrating the invention in its preferred form, it being understoodthat various modifications may be made therein without departing fromthe spirit of theinvention defined by the concluding claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an electric signalingappliance embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View ofa circuit-closer forming part of the invention. Fig. 3 is asimilar viewof the circuit-closer engaged by the trolley-wheel, Fig. e is asectional view on line i 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line5 5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 denotes anoverheadtrolley-wire, supported in the usual manner by a hanger 2. Atransversely-curved plate or hood 3 is attached to-' ward its ends tosupports 4: 4, secured to the trolley-wire, the plate or hood beingintermediately supported by the hanger 2. The plate or hood ispreferably insulated from the trolley-wire by the interposition ofinsulating material at the supports 4 andhanger 2.

Depending from the plate or hood 3 is a movable contact, preferably inthe form of an arm 5, having at its upper end ears 6 6, pivotallyconnected by a pin 7 to ears 8 8, extending downwardly from the plate orhood. On the plate or hood adjacent to the movable contact is a fixedcontact, preferably in the form of a yieldingly-supported plate 9. Thisplate 9 has a stem 10, slidable in an opening 11, provided ina-supporting-bracket 12, secured to the plate or hood, and said plate 9is normally extended to the position shown in Fig. 2 by the action of aspring 13, coiled around the stem and interposed between the bracket andplate.

In practice the lower end of the arm 5 is within the path of thetrolley-wheel 14 and is engaged by the latter in the movement of the caror train and swung to the position shown in Fig. 3, when engagementbetween the contacts is effected, the spring-pressed plate 9 yieldingsufficiently to enable the trolleywheel to ride past the contact 5whereupon the latter swings back to first position. Inasm uch as thecontact 5 is liable after engagement by the trolley-wheel to rebound orswing by its own impetus forwardly in the direction of the contact9.-and establish by a second engagement a secondcircuit, there isprovided in the path of the contact 5 a buffer 15, the stem of which isslidable in a bracket 16 on the plate or hood and which is extendednormally beyond the contact 9 by the action of a coiled spring 17.()bviously the tension of the spring 17 will be sufficient to preventmovement of the contact 5 sufficiently to cause the engagement of thelatter with the contact 9 unless such movement is effected by thetrolley-wheel.

In acircuit is provided proper signaling devices which may be eithervisual or audible, or both. The terminals of the circuit-wires may beconnected with the contacts in any one of a number of ways. Forinstance, one wire 18 may lead from the contact-plate 9, in which eventthe plate is insulated from the plate or hood, and the other wire .19maylead from aplate 20,secured to and insulated from the arm 5. It willbe understood that upon engagement of the plates 9 and 20 the circuit isclosed and the signaling devices are actuated to give warning of theapproach of a car or train, and, if desired, to give in addition thelocation of such car or train on the line of road. Signal-bells orannunciators in the circuit may be provided at points along the road,and houses and buildings adjacent to the track may be likewise equipped;also, signaling devices may be provided at the offices of the railroad.

Any number of circuit-closers may be provided at any given point wherebya distinctive signal may be sent in, and said closers may be in the sameor in different circuits. The plate or hood. protects the parts fromrain and snow, thereby insuring proper operation in all conditions ofweather. Obviously the circuit-closers, as shown, are moved to establishthe circuit by the wheel of a car or train going in onedirection-namely,thatindicated by the'arrow in Fig. l. W here there is asingle track, reversely-disposed circuit-closers will be provided,whereby cars moving in either direction will send in the signals.

We claim as our invention 1. In combination, a support, a freelyswinginggravity-arm pivoted at its upper end on the support and having its lowerend in the path of the trolley-wheel, a contact carried by the arm, ayielding contact on the support in the path of the arm contact, and aspring-buffer on the support located to be engaged by the arm in themovement of the latter, said buffer extending normally beyond the planeof the yielding contact.

2. I11 combination, a support, a freelyswinging gravity-arm pivoted atits upper end on the support and having its lower end in the path of thetrolley-wh'eel,a contact-plate carried by the arm, a spring-pressedcontactplate on the support in the path of the armcontact plate, and aspring-pressed bufferplate on the support located in the path of the armand extending normally beyond the plane of the spring-pressedcontact-plate.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY ARNOLD AMMANN. ALBERT DONALD CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

W. J. O. WAKEFIELD, A. W. WITHERSPOON.

